Little Loving Intentions: August 2013

Summer is almost over. School starts in just two weeks! I can't quite imagine going back to work just yet. There is still so much summer I want to soak up before I allow myself to be absorbed in thoughts of a less carefree nature. When you are having a good time you don't want it to stop right? Though I must not assume that the fun and the happiness ends when the season is over. I've had such a wonderful summer. Why wouldn't it carry on? However, summer is definitely my favourite season and always has been. It's always been the three months where I feel like I get a refill on my love of life, my soul and my heart. Do all summer babies love summer the most? Are there people out there that hate summer? I can't imagine why they would. Summer is where the good feelings last longer, when your skin stays hot and where you can have picnics at the park. It's such a beautiful season.

Andrea is born in the fall, she loves fall. Michelle is born in the winter... this I will have to investigate. Are we all drawn most to the season that we were born in? There is something special about every season even though I use to despise fall. Now I strive to always appreciate what nature has to offer. Summer: great weather, sunshine, warm breezes and wearing sun dresses. Fall: changing of the leaves, enjoying more coffee in doors, reading more books, rain drops on your face and coffee. Winter: cold and fresh air through your nose, crispness, a blanket of white snow, warm beverages, fireplaces, and excuses to cuddle. Spring: light showers, landscape of green, life resumes, and seeing the first flowers bloom. These are things to look forward to soon. I hope that every season brings something amazing to share with us. A year flashes by so quickly now. Before you know it I will be blogging about summer again. Speaking of change, the seasons we know now are also changing so much now around the world. Maybe 10 years from now seasons will not exist or will have changed definitions. The world is changing so fast, and so are we. Maybe one day fall will be my favourite season.

I am feeling a bit philosophical today. I think it has got to do with feeling good and wondering how I got to where I am today. Thinking of the last two years of my life I've been through some interesting situations. Because of those situations I have learned to rely on people more, ask for help, and I needed to connect with people deeply. One thing I really learned was to appreciate everything I had. I sort of see how random events connect now from last several years. Everything happens for a reason. Things are supposed to come full circle one day. It's not quite there yet but I'm sure that the trail will be much more obvious once I get there. A seemingly random thing which occurred a couple months ago will make sense one day. Take a look at your own life and see how obstacles have steered you onto another path. It's as if life is one of those really well written novel series where the writer has inserted clues in the first book about the third book even before it's written. I find that so fascinating. Are we all just characters in our own novels or in a big series? Who's writing these stories or are they already written?

Yesterday I was watching an episode of Anthony Bourdain on CNN. He started his series by saying something like since he was born he has been trying to get as far away from where he was and what he was born as. He said it in more a more poetic way of course but I felt his words very deeply. The words really carried a story of change and evolution both physically and spiritually. Some people desire that change and some resist it but we all have to endure it. Life is an endless journey. Around every corner you learn something new and you are an ever evolving person. If you don't change that's just all in your mind because you have. You should either bend like a reed or stand straight and stiff like a tree but the storm will eventually get you. Either way you won't be the same. Why resist life? Go with the flow, bend with the wind and see what happens. Maybe you'll get swooped up somewhere beautiful and find your new amazing home. Sometimes I feel like I haven't really learned about life until recently although I'm sure I've changed in the past. When I think back to when I was younger my focus on life was so different, nothing really affected me. I don' t know where this opportunity in my consciousness came from where I can now accept what is revolving around me. I can see everything more clearly now. I can see what is important to me now. I am also able to give and receive to the world more than I was able to before. I am so grateful for that connection.
I like to think some lessons in life are necessary in order to become a better and happier person. Things happen to make you change and evaluate what your purpose in life is. In a short period of time a tragedy actually becomes a blessing. Sometimes you gain something even when you lose something. Though no one wants to lose something precious you would never evolve if you didn't lose something dear to you. It's not out of regret or shame that you change, but more like you reach the depth of your inner person.You feel more, emanate more, absorb more, understand more, care more, you become more because you become a beacon that has gone deep and now you are sending that signal out for others. I feel like I vibrate at a different frequency now. I feel my frequency is capable of reaching out to a lot of people. I feel like I can help and give and be of service with no reserve at all. Or maybe I'm just happy today. Whatever it is I am grateful. Maybe tomorrow will be a different story but I'm happy about where I am now. Where are you now?

We have been in Oregon for the last 4 days. Tomorrow we are heading home. This family trip includes my sister, brother in law, my two nieces and my parents. It has been more than I had expected. First of all, this is the first family trip we have taken in several years. I wasn't sure how it would be like to travel with my family as we often bicker here and there and with kids around I had imagined it to be quite crazy. However it wasn't. It was so fun. So many unexpected things happened. Like tonight, we had a bonfire out on the beach and made s'mores. My family doesn't do that but they did it because I really wanted to and everyone ended up really enjoying the experience. Out of all of us I think Avery had the best time. She was always smiling.

Avery digging in the sand at Cannon Beach.
I think this was the first time she ever played in sand. Once in a while she even ate sand. Hmmm... Not a good idea. Abbie enjoyed all the food she got to eat. That girl can eat!!! She also kept trying to break out into the patio where she was normally forbidden to go. My nieces remind me of me lol. I feel very proud of them.

Kids fooling around in the hotel room.

Also, it was really nice to spend some time with my parents. We never get to just relax around each other. Tonight I even got some time to sit on the beach alone with my dad and to stare at the stars with him. I showed him the Little Dipper because he has never seen it.

Some highlights of the trip: We went to the waterfalls by Portland and hung out at the beach to watch the sunset. My mom learned how to roast marshmallows. We ate at some damn good restaurants. Most memorable was all the time I got to spend with my nieces and see all the excitement in their eyes everyone time there was a new experience.

Here are some more photos.

Wakeena Falls.

Multnohmah Falls.

Apizza Scholls in Portland: on the weekend they get so busy there is no take out orders allowed and you have to reserve your pizza dough. The pizza is 18 inches across!!!